A claims adjuster investigates insurance claims and determines the appropriate benefits which insurance providers should pay out. This term is synonymous with the term loss adjuster.
When you file insurance claims (high value claims in particular), your claims are examined by claims adjusters to determine whether or not your insurance policy gives you the right to claim a benefit from the insurance company. They may also examine the insured property or investigate the loss to determine the extent to which damages or losses are covered by insurance providers.
Example: A windstorm severely damages your insured home. When you file a claim with your buildings insurance provider, a claims adjuster examines your claim as well as the building itself and records of past maintenance and alterations to determine whether you exercised due diligence in protecting the insured property and the amount of compensation which the insurance company must pay as a benefit.
Insurance providers may use in-house claims adjusters or they may hire independent claims adjusters to assess claims. The use of independent claims adjusters is beneficial for policyholders as it reduces the risk of bias towards the insurance company.
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